Approximately 1,370,000 abortions occur each year. About half could be prevented through the use of emergency contraception (EC), according to the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA). FMLA and other organizations point to studies including one conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, which found that two percent of women in the United States have used EC and only 11 percent of American women have even heard of EC.After the Food and Drug Administration delayed a decision to make EC available over the counter on Feb. 20, FMLA is urging students on college campuses to protest.

According to Debbie Castro, FMLA's deputy director of campuses Debbie Castro, making EC available over the counter is of the utmost importance to college-aged women because they face the greatest obstacles in acquiring EC.

"I have met with health centers across the country and they have said lines are out the door Monday morning because people couldn't get EC from local pharmacies, which are the ones open over the weekend," Castro said.

Although many groups are pushing for EC to be obtainable over the counter, most anti-abortion organizations oppose the idea. Concerned Women for America, Human Life League and Christian Medical Association are opposed to the possibility of easier EC access. Their Web sites and protests mainly oppose EC in any form, over the counter or otherwise. There are other arguments, such as the alleged likelihood that increased availability of EC will promote pre-marital sex, increase sexually-transmitted diseases and pose potential health risks to women.

"They say EC sold over the counter will increase promiscuity and unsafe sex among teens," Castro said. "This is not medically sound and, in fact, studies have shown the opposite."

Although EC does not prevent sexually transmitted infections, it can be used after sex as a back-up form of contraception in cases where no contraception was used, a condom broke or a woman was sexually assaulted. Currently, two FDA-approved forms of EC pills exist: Preven, which increases estrogen; and Plan B, which contains progestin. Both hormones work to delay or prevent ovulation or interfere with fertilization.

"Plan B is more effective, although both are FDA-approved to be prescribed," Castro said. "Plan B also usually causes less side effects, such as nausea, than Preven."

According to an FMLA press release on March 8, the FDA's Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory and Non-prescription Drugs Panel voted 23-4 to advise that Plan B be accessible over the counter. FMLA alleges that anti-abortion members of Congress pressured the FDA to postpone its decision 90 days.

Others besides the FMLA have condemned the FDA's hesitation to announce a verdict.

"The New England Journal of Medicine criticized the FDA for not making a decision yet," Castro said. "This was a bold political move, but [the FDA is] placing politics before women's health and lives."

The initial petition, launched in early 2003, ago asking for national over-the-counter sale of EC, has 70,000 signatures, e-mails and letters to date. As a result of the postponed decision, an additional 30,000 e-mails were sent to the FDA.

Currently, certain pharmacies in California, Maine, Washington, Alaska and New Mexico offer EC without a prescription. Wal-Mart, meanwhile, is among pharmacies that strongly oppose this availability.

"Wal-Mart has a policy not to fill prescriptions [for EC]," Castro said. "Which is really unfortunate because they are mostly [located] in rural areas and monopolize the market, so people have to spend more time and more effort to get EC."

Besides being a hassle, this extra time reduces the effectiveness of EC, which is nearly useless after 72 hours. The chance of pregnancy is reduced 95 percent if taken within the first 24 hours of intercourse and 75 to 88 percent if taken within 72 hours.

Although a study in the June 2003 issue of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that EC can still be effective for up to 120 hours, Castro and others who support over-the-counter sales of EC stress that the pill is most effective during the first 24 hours, hence the importance of its being readily available.

If EC were approved for over-the-ounter sale, it could not be forced upon stores; individual pharmacists would still have to decide whether or not to carry it.

"In part, demand will help [with this potential problem]," Castro said. "If people say they want it, stores will stock it to make a profit. The company that owns EC will also do more advertising if it becomes legal to sell it over the counter."

Brandeis' chapter of FMLA began a flyer campaign about EC and its availability last year, continuing this year with special emphasis in first-year dorms to reach most of the new students on campus.

"[Access to] EC is very important on a college campus because at school, students are making more independent choices about their own health care and of course, experimenting and learning more about themselves as adults," Brandeis' FMLA chapter president Maggie Frye '05 said. "It is so important to get EC over-the-counter because it is usually over the weekend when students will want EC."

According to FMLA, 61 percent of college health centers offer EC, but only 16 percent have weekend hours. Some colleges health centers, like Brandeis', do write prescriptions for EC and are open on the weekends, however, allowing students to obtain the drug in a relatively short amount of time.

"Access to EC is very good at Brandeis," Frye said. "At some campuses, EC is not available to students and on others it is available and free to them. The fact that people at Brandeis can go to the Health Center and get a prescription for EC here is excellent."

According to Frye and posters around campus, to obtain EC, women need only go to the Health Center and ask for it. EC costs $20, which can be paid for with cash or a check.

"One in five women know about EC," Castro said. "People are just learning."

Castro also said that many universities frown upon sexual information because they think it sends a negative image to visitors. She said this type of thinking often leads to stifled or complete lack of funds for health centers.

Brandeis, which has a contract with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), pays BIDMC a certain amount of money each year for the Health Center services. According to Health Center administrator Kathleen Maloney, Brandeis does not decide whether to carry EC.

"The University does not get involved in what I order," Maloney said. "The schools that generally don't have [EC] are Catholic schools. I go to New England health conferences and most places do provide [EC]. If you are going to work on a college campus, then you have to be up with the times and respond to and understand student needs."

Other campuses have informed their students about EC and encouraged communicating to the FDA that their delayed decision is unacceptable through "Back up your birth control day."

"It is a national day of action to educate peers about what EC is and participate in the petition drive-which is still ongoing-to make EC over-the-counter," Castro said.

The Brandeis chapter of FMLA has been very active, with big plans and a rosy outlook for this semester.

"Last semester we did a flyering/educational campaign, and the year before the same campaign with a petition drive," Frye said.

"We sent those signatures to the Feminist Majority Foundation in Washington. This semester, the petition drive is over since the EC/[over-the-counter] decision is in the hands of the FDA, which does not accept outside influence."

Still, Castro insists that students can help sway the FDA's choice on making EC available over the counter.

"If we remain silent, they will get away with it," Castro said.

"But if...they are inundated with e-mails, they will have to make a decision.